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Posted wait times reflect the approximate time to see a physician at each ECHN campus. Wait times change frequently as conditions change. Patients with the most serious illnesses/injuries are given priority, so your wait time may be longer. Wait times may be affected by the number of patients in the emergency department and severity of their conditions. Wait time postings are for general public information only and are not a commitment to serve any patient within any time period.

Visiting Nurse & Health Services of Connecticut

Home Care

A variety of home care services are offered through Visiting Nurse and Health Services of Connecticut (VNHSC) including nursing care, home health aids, rehabilitation therapy, medical social work, specialty programs and Meals on Wheels.

For more information, please call us at 860.872.9163.

Nursing Care

Our nurses are dedicated, caring and knowledgeable professionals. Nurses collaborate with your doctor to develop a plan of care that is tailored to meet your needs. Our nurses continue to partner with your physician throughout the course of your care.

Our nurses will:

Monitor your vital signs, medication and special diets

Provide care and teaching that controls the impact of chronic disease such as diabetes, respiratory disease and heart disease

Provide care and help resolve the complications caused by wounds

Teach you how to care for and manage diabetes, stroke, heart and respiratory condition, ostomies and catheters

Arrange consultation with other members of the home healthcare team, such as physical, occupational and speech therapists and medical social workers

Home Health Aides

Home Health Aide services are delivered under the supervision of a registered nurse or licensed therapist. Our aides have experience and training in providing care in the home. An aide is appropriate when there is a specific need for personal care on a part-time basis at home.

Our home health aides can help with personal care, general assistance, bathing and dressing, feeding, meal preparation and assistance with the activities of daily living.

Rehabilitation Therapies

Rehabilitation services are comprised of physical, occupational and speech therapies, all of which are provided in your home. Therapists work with you after an injury or illness or surgery and develop a treatment plan designed to best achieve the goals of maximum functional independence. Depending on the nature of your diagnosis, you may receive one therapy or a combination of services with other disciplines.

Our physical therapists provide skilled assessments of home safety and fall risk and make recommendations for equipment and home adaptations. Physical therapists provide evaluation and treatment for a variety of diagnoses including orthopedic problems (total joint replacements and fractures), gait and balance disorders, arthritis, neurological disorders (stroke, MS, ALS) and respiratory diseases. We currently have specialists in manual therapy, fall prevention, and treatment of vestibular disorders and can offer manual lymphedema treatment. Other therapeutic modalities available include ultrasound, electric stimulation and TENS. Gait and transfer training and therapeutic exercises can be a part of the treatment plan to restore function and mobility.

Our occupational therapists provide a complete assessment of your ability to perform the basic activities of daily living, which include bathing, dressing and grooming. Treatment plans may include exercises to increase strength and range of motion as well as overall mobility to help you return to your highest level of function in your home setting. Occupational therapists also provide assessment and treatment for low vision problems, cognitive deficits and decreased endurance.

Our speech and language pathologists (speech therapists) provide a complete assessment of problems relating to aphasia (the ability to communicate), dysphasia (difficulty swallowing), voice disorders and speech articulation. Treatment plans may include therapeutic exercises, language and articulation techniques and education of clients and caregivers in management of swallowing issues. Speech therapists also can assist in evaluating for and obtaining alternative communication devices.

Medical Social Work

Medical social workers provide counseling to you and your family for problems related to illness or emotional stress. They provide information and links to a wide range of community services, help obtain financial assistance to cover health care expenses, and can assist with alternative living arrangements such as housing or nursing home admission.

Specialty Programs

With the changes taking place in the health care systems, patients are being discharged from hospitals and nursing homes quicker. In today's managed care environment, home care and specialized care go hand-in-hand.

We offer specialty services with advanced practice nurses in these areas:

In-Home Mental Health – This program emphasizes patient education, medication management and symptom control. The ultimate goal of the program is the complete return of the patient to the care of the community providers of mental health.

Wound and Ostomy Care – This program focuses on the complex nursing needs of persons with serious wounds and of those persons sustaining major bladder or intestinal surgery such as colostomies, ileostomies and urinary ostomies. Assistance is provided with client’s wound care, dressing changes, ostomy appliance changes, psychological and educational support.

Diabetes Management – Incorporating nutrition counseling, skilled nursing and education on diabetes, specially trained nurses assist clients in living comfortable and productive lives within the confines of the disease process.

Palliative Care – This program provides symptom management and pain control related to a disease process which may or may not be life threatening.

Meals on Wheels

Meals on Wheels is a program designed to meet the dietary needs of individuals whose physical, emotional or social conditions keep them from obtaining or making meals for themselves. Meals on Wheels volunteers deliver one hot meal and one cold meal directly to your home five days a week, including holidays.

Visiting Nurse & Health Services of Connecticut’s meals are prepared by CW Resources of New Britain, CT. Should your physician recommend a special diet (such as diabetic, low salt, renal, or any diet specific to your individual needs), you can still enjoy Meals on Wheels.